Separable plug



Patented Feb. 2l, 1928.

- UNITED STATESV PATENT OFFICE.

SWEN R. SWENSON, F SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MULTIPLE ELEC- TRIC PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC.,

YORK.

or NEW YoRx, N. Y., a CORPORATION or NEW sririaRARnn rLUG.

l Application led February 20, 1922. Serial No. 537,770.

My invention relates to separable attachment plugs foruse in those caseswhere it is desirable to connect electric translating devices, for example, an electric iron, in an electric circuit terminating` in a socket, such as a screw socket for an electric lamp bulb having a screw base. l

The object of my invention isto .compel the operator when connecting or disconnectl0 ing the lug and the socket to first separate the mem er carrying the wires leading to the .translating device from the otherl member of the plug, thus providing increased safety in the making of the connections above reerred. to and' preventing the twisting of the wires between the separable plug and the Ytranslating device and obviating the wear Y and tear on the wires andterminals which Yheretofore has been caused lby the twisting of the wires in the act of screwing connecting plugs into the socket.

I .accomplish the object of my. invention f in one embodimenhfby providinl the memberb vcarrying the flexible lead 'wireswith a i5 revolvable cap orisleeve completely covering theouter face of said member and the sides thereof and extending beyond'the sides ,of the member to be inserted inthe socket when the parts of the separable plug are assemao bled; and in another embodiment by provid`` r ing the member of the separable plug engag ing with the socket with devices cooperating with and actuated 85 bind said socket engagmg member in the socket, or to prevent the entry of said member into the socket if the two parts are previously assembled.

By way of example of the application oi'V (0 my invention I have chosen to illustrate it in connection with a socket of the screw type, but it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other, types of sockets.

In the accompanying drawings,

65 Fig. 1 is a. vertical section ofone form of by the teminals of the other member and serving to lock,lfasten, and,

carrying the wires leading to a translating device;

Fig. 3 is a vertical view, partly sectional, of another form of my new separable plugs showing the socket engaging member provided with suitable locking, fastening, or4

binding mechanism for'preventing its entry into or withdrawal from the socket while the.

In' the drawings, 1 is a screw plug engaging with a suitable screw socket (not shown) said plug being provided with contact members 2 and 3 for engaging with the contacts of the socket, and 4 is the removable member of said plug in which is mounted extension terminals 5 .and 6 engaging with the Contact members 2 and 3 of the plug 1. The terminals 5 and 6 are secured to the member 4 by v,screws 7 and 8, as shown in Fig. 2, and wires 9 and 10 are connectedthereto and pass through a tube 11 and thence to a suitable translating device. A cap piece, 12, is mounted on the outer face of the removable member 4 and heldin place thereon by the circular iange of the tube 11, the cap piece being of any suitable material, as iron, hard rubber, etc., as desired, and being free to revolve. As shown in the drawings, the cap piece `12 covers the outer face and sides of the member v4 and as much of the sides of the member 1 as desired toserve the purpose contemplated. y

In the utilizationof a structure such as that described above, it is apparent that, due tothe presence of the freely revolving ca -i piece 12, an operator wishing to connect the plug into a socket must first se arate the member 4 from the member 1, as y a pulling action, whereupon Athe plug 1 is screwed into the socket and thereafter the member 4 is pushed into the plug 1, completing the connection. When it is desired to disconnect the separable plug 1-4 from the socket it is apparent that, due to the presence of the revolvable cap-piece 12, the operator must irst pull the memberl 4 out from the plug 1, whereupon the plug 1 is unscrewed from the socket.

ln Fig. 3 the object of my invention is accomplished by incorporating suitable mechanism in the socket engaging member of the separable plug. To this end,'the socket engaging member 1a is cut away for a portion of its length as shown at the left in Figs. 3 and 4 to provide room therein for the mounting of the mechanism about to be described. Here the spring contact member is of the hair pin type,- as shown at 2a, The end of one leg of said contact is soldered to the screw shell-at 13, the upper portion of said leg bearing against the wall of the channel in the plug, the other leg passing down the channel andv the end thereof terminating in a. hole in a movable pawl, 14,

which rests on a plate, 15, providedwith ianges 16, 16 for guiding the pawl 15 in its backward and forward movements, said plate being soldered to the bottom of the screw base and iush therewith;

In assembling the plug 4 1, the member l is screwed into .a socket, shown in section at 17, Fig. 5, and the member 4 is then pushed into place on the member 1, the extension terminals 5 and 6 olthe member 4y contacting with the internal spring contacts 3' and 2a of the member 1, forcing the legs of the spring 2a together and moving Ithe ,pawl 14 outward to a position where it is 4pressed against the wall of the socket 17,

as shown in Fig. 5, thus locking the assembled plug into the socket. Should the `operator thereafter attempt to remove the assembled plug from the socket -by unscrewing it the pawl 14 will rock up on one leg, due to the construction shown, and jam in the socket at the point of contact therewith. Thepulling out of the member 4 from lthe member 1a causes the legs of the spring contact 2a to spread apart and move the pawl out of contact with the socket 17, whereupon the member 'la' can be removed from the socket and lreinserted thereinto at will so long as the plug is in the unassembled condition and the deleterious' results referred to above are obviated in the making and breaking of electrical connection of the character described.

It is to be understood that the'invention is not limited to. the specific constructions signature.

herein described, but can be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit.

I claim:

1. A socket plug comprising a socket engaging member and a -disconnectible lead' wire carrying member, and vlocking means on said socket engaging member actuated by the joining of said members for preventing its entry into or withdrawal from a socket while the plug is assembled.

2. A separable socket plug comprising a socket engaging member, and a lead wire carrying member, and a movable bar on said socket engaging member displaced, against a4 socket wall when the plug is assembled therein.

5.- A separable socket plug comprising av socket engaging member having a spring, a,

pawll on one end of saidv spring, and a bearing and guide plate for said paw'lmounted i thereon, and alead wire carrying member having extension termmals thereon for 1nsertion into the socketl engaging member,

said extension terminals servmg when the plug is assembled in a socket to actuate the spring and move the pawl into locking position against the wall o the socket.

y 6. In a two-part socket plug for electrically connectin a pair of conductors to the center and t readed shell terminals of, an

electric wall socket, an insulating body membera`c`ap havin a pair of prongs projecting into saidbo y member, separate means in said body member for connecting said prongs with said centerand shell terminals 1 respectively, and means common to one of said separate means for locking said plu in said socket when Vthe prongs are inserte in said body member. Y f

In'l testimony whereof I .hereto 'ax my swEN inswENsoN. 

